


Adventures to Come

by Snacky



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Family Fluff, Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pre-Canon, Prompt Fic, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 05:07:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13474314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snacky/pseuds/Snacky
Summary: Ashara and Arthur Dayne before they ever left home.





	Adventures to Come

**Author's Note:**

> Written for alenightshade for this prompt: "I was wondering if you were still writing mini fics? If you are, could you write something with Ashara and Arthur? Maybe a fight or a very light hearted moment between them? I just want more sibling love ☺️"
> 
> Originally posted on tumblr.

The rainy season has been cold and wet in the Red Mountains of Dorne. Even during a long summer, there are seasons of rain, and seasons of cold, dry winds. But every few moons brings a deluge of rain, sending the Torrentine rising and and roaring down to the mouth of the Summer Sea.

But now the rains are over, and the days are long and sunny, and Ashara Dayne is tired of being cooped up inside the castle of Starfall, as lovely as it is, perched on the highest point of the island, with a view from every window and tower of the river rushing down to the sea. 

Starfall is nearly as lovely as she, her papa often says, and Ashara can't help but be pleased at his praise. She knows it's silly, and her mama says that her papa will spoil her with such talk, but she also knows she's pretty. She likes the attention it brings, and the praise and compliments, even though vanity isn't something a lady should aspire to, as her Septa often reminds her. But her papa is the Lord of Starfall, and he loves having her by his side at the high table, or showing her off when lords and ladies come visiting.

Still, a girl gets tired of nothing but admiration, and longs for a change. At the first sign of good weather, Ashara was ready for an adventure and she had decided on which she would have— searching the castle and the grounds for the site of the original "starfall" that had led the very first Dayne to the island. She had spent many long rainy afternoons reading the texts her Maester provided, and pouring over ancient maps, so when the sun finally came out, she was ready to set out on her hunt, to track down the original landing spot of the legendary shooting star. And it was easy to persuade Arthur — noble, kind, adventure-loving Arthur — to join her.

Arthur is very patient with her, Ashara knows this. Not every brother would be willing to accompany her on her quest. Certainly not their oldest brother — Amross is much too grown up now to spend his days with his younger brother and sister, instead spending all his time with their father, preparing to be the next Lord of Starfall. And Allyria’s been ill for months — a terrible cough that just won’t let go. So it’s only Arthur who is available to join Ashara on an adventure. It wasn’t hard to persuade him either — Arthur has a keen interest in all things concerning the shooting star, considering his ambitions regarding Dawn, the sword created from it.

Still, even Arthur’s patience has its limits and after the third day of combing castle from top to bottom and roaming all over the island, he’s about ready to give up. "We’re not going to find it, Ashara," he says, collapsing in a heap on the green bank high above the river.

Ashara thinks he’s rather overdoing the pretense of exhaustion, but she sinks down on the soft grass beside him. "We might still! You don’t know! Maester Lymond said it was marked in the old texts, right where the star landed."

"The star landed a thousand years ago and the books were written a thousand years after that." Arthur yawns and closes his eyes as he stretches out in the grass.

Now _that’s_ an exaggeration, and a ridiculous one at that, but Ashara doesn’t feel like arguing. She’s tired from climbing to the top of the Palestone Sword thrice over, and the sun is warm. Instead she lies on her back next to her brother and gazes up at the blue sky, watching the gulls swoop overhead.

Still, she’s not prepared to give up. "Don’t you want to find it, Arthur? I should think you do! Especially since you’ll be the Sword of the Morning someday."

Arthur’s eyes are closed, but she can see his lips curve into a smile at her words. "You don’t know that. Not yet."

"Well, it won’t be Amross. He’s too busy learning how to be Lord of Starfall from Papa to train to be a proper knight. And it certainly won’t be Gerold!" She can’t help the scorn that creeps into her voice as she thinks of their dreadful cousin.

"No, it certainly won’t!" Arthur at least agrees with her on the topic of Gerold. "But it’s a long time before I’ll be a knight worthy of Dawn, sister."

Ashara sighs. "It doesn’t feel like a long time." For Arthur will be leaving Starfall soon, with Lord Dayonel Blackmont. Arthur is to be his squire, and train as a knight. But Ashara knows that what Arthur truly wants is to be a member of the Kingsguard, which was why he was so eager to squire with Lord Blackmont — Lord Blackmont plans to travel to King’s Landing in the next year to spend time in King Aerys’ court.

Arthur opens an eye and peers at her. "It won’t be that bad, Ashara. Amross and Allyria will both still be here. You won’t miss me hardly at all."

"Amross!" Ashara scoffs. "He’s no fun. And mother says Allyria is still too weak from the fever to play all that much."

"She’ll be better soon, I’m sure of it. And before you know it, it will be your turn to come to King’s Landing, and you’ll see me there all the time."

She’s unhappy with Arthur leaving Starfall, but Ashara still isn't sure how she feels about her own departure, even though it’s years away. But she has promised to join Elia Martell in King’s Landing when the Princess goes to court, and Ashara will see that promise through, despite feeling like she should never leave the island. 

Even now, a shiver runs up her spine at the thought — she’s safe here at Starfall, and she’s happy enough, loved and pampered and spoiled as she is. Arthur’s leaving casts a cloud over her mostly sunny days, but the thought of not living here, of leaving home — well, who knows what might await her in King’s Landing? She’s heard terrible things of the court, and she’s almost afraid of what might happen to her there.

Almost.

"It’s not going to be _that_ soon. And surely you’ll come home to visit before then?" It’s a question, though, not a statement of fact. It’s a long way to King’s Landing… and what if Arthur likes it there so much he decides to never come back?

Arthur must hear the uncertainty in her voice, for he sits up and takes her hand in his. "I promise to come back to visit, sister. And when it’s time for you to join me there, I promise to come home and escort you to King’s Landing myself."

"Really?" She knows Arthur is always truthful, but that would be wonderful. It would make her someday journey to King’s Landing feel like an adventure with her brother, just like the ones they have always had. And with Arthur by her side, Ashara won’t worry. Her brother will always protect her, the best he can. This she’s certain of.

"Truly. It will only be the first of our adventures when we're grown." Arthur winks at her. "And sister, when I come to visit? Make sure you and Allyria have found the original site of the starfall."

He’s only teasing her, Ashara knows, but she’ll look for it all the same. "We will! And when we show it to you, that’s when you’ll know you’re ready for Dawn."

"It will take more than just finding the site to ready me for Dawn," Arthur says with a hearty laugh, but truly, in her heart, Ashara knows that her brother is the only Dayne worthy of the honor of Sword of the Morning, and even right now, he’s ready.

Still he has time to prepare, years even. And with her brother by her side in King's Landing, Ashara knows they will have many adventures to come.


End file.
